The global internal combustion engine market size was approximately 138 million units in 2014. Increasing adoption in Asia Pacific and Latin America is expected to drive industry growth. Several benefits such as excellent drivability and stability are also anticipated to fuel industry growth over the coming years.

IC engines are also pooled with hybrid electric powertrains in order to augment fuel economy. They can also be combined with plug-in hybrid electric systems to expand the plug-in hybrid electric vehicles portfolio. The aforementioned benefits are expected to offer avenues for industry growth over the coming years.

International regulations for fuel economy, as well as rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) emission standards, may hinder growth over the forecast period. In addition, increasing the popularity of electric vehicles may also pose a challenge to industry stakeholders. Rising government initiatives providing subsidies on electric vehicles paired with the benefits offered by electric engines such as low maintenance cost, low carbon dioxide emission, and high efficiency is also estimated to impede global IC engine demand.

Key fuel types employed include petroleum and natural gas. The petroleum IC engine market is further segmented into diesel and gasoline. Gasoline accounted for more than 45% of the overall volume share in 2014, which may increase over the coming years. In addition, gasoline based vehicles also offer benefits such as less noise and vibration along with low fuel prices. The segment is poised for growth owing to the aforementioned benefits.

Cycle Insights

On the basis of cycle type, the industry includes 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. 4-stroke emerged as the dominant segment and accounted for more than 80% of the overall volume share in 2014. This may be attributed to the several advantages over their counterparts, such as better fuel efficiency, increased power, and low CO2 emission.

Application Insights

On the basis of application, the industry is segmented into automotive, marine, and aircraft. The automotive segment accounted for more than 65% of the overall share in 2014, which is expected to increase over the next few years. This may be attributed to rising consumer disposable income resulting in increasing adoption of vehicles worldwide. Technological developments are resulting in improvements pertaining to fuel efficiency, emission and performance may also spur demand over the coming years.

Aircraft segment may witness considerable growth over the forecast period owing to benefits such as light-weight and compact design, which are termed as essentials for installation in aircraft. In addition, technological advancements such as multi-fuel capability that improves fuel mileage may also propel demand. Further, advantages such as portability and reliability are also anticipated to favorably impact demand over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific internal combustion engine market emerged as the dominant regional segment in 2014 and accounted for over 40% of the overall consumption in the same year. This may be attributed to rising consumer disposable income resulting in high automobile demand in the region.

North America internal combustion engine market is also anticipated to witness considerable growth over the forecast period owing to fast car adoption rate in the region. Europe accounted for more than 20% of the overall share in 2014, which is expected to decrease over the coming years. This may be attributed to stringent government regulations pertaining to CO2 emission coupled with growing emphasis on the use of electric vehicles in the region.

Competitive Market Share Insights

Industry participants compete on the basis of price, new product development, and their market presence. Manufacturers usually emphasize on strengthening their global footprint in order to enhance market presence and achieve competitive advantage. Major players hold their competitive position with the provision of wide product portfolio, better service capability, and distribution channel.